Skating
by dragondreamingsprout
Summary: Arthur didn't really have a choice. You wouldn't either. Really, you wouldn't be able to help yourself. merlin/arthur fluffy ficlet


This was actually inspired by a comment posted on a fic on LJ by schmoooop; 'Left to me Bradley would have the stealth of an elephant on skates'. Well, with me he'd have more the stealth of a monkey on skates. Sort of clumsy and faltering and completely pointless but somehow in the end it would probably work because of that innate intelligence that has nothing to do with IQ. I assume when it comes to the monkeys. This started as a Colin/Bradley fic but since I haven't uploaded a Merlin/Arthur fic here for a bit and it suits them just as much...

Oh, and as I was writing I kinda found that a lot of the details could describe the way I would write Arthur's approach to romance. Read it as you will :)

Hope you like it especially my most gorgeous omouto-chan, if I could give you all the world on a platter... unfortunately I have only my meagre but of fluff :)

* * *

Skating

Arthur can't help it. It isn't his fault. No, really, it isn't. Not when Merlin is standing there in all his skinny, slouchy, doe-eyed glory. Not when he's so absorbed with his conversation with Gwen and the occasional skittering glance to see if anyone is watching him slacking off. Not when he hasn't noticed Arthur's presence despite his being three feet behind him.

Even Gwen, usually much less perceptive than Merlin, noticed Arthur's approach and let her gaze flicker away from him with a little half smile tugging her lips when he directed his smirk in Merlin's direction.

He's never been able to sneak up on Merlin. Perpetually aware of his surroundings in an accidental kind of way – as though he just so happened to catch absolutely everything with his enormous blue eyes that Arthur does _not_ find adorable – Merlin is un-sneak-up-on-able. No one's succeeded. Though, that having been said, not many have tried. Except Arthur. And it rankles that he hasn't succeeded. And he resents Morgana telling him that it's because he has all the stealth of an elephant on skates. Because really, has she seen an elephant on skates? No, no she hasn't.

Arthur holds his breath, all taught muscles and anticipation and tension as he just waits to be sprung and to spring and he takes the step. Just one. And Merlin doesn't so much as twitch and Arthur wants to jump around at this leap he's taken toward victory but that will give the game away so he braces himself for one more. He ignores Gwen rolling her eyes in favour of watching the back of Merlin's head, imagining what he expects will happen any moment when he pounces – the startled squeak... perhaps a scream, the immediate and hugely gratifying blush that will cover cheeks and neck and possibly silly ears as well, and... oh hell.

As if in slow motion, Arthur's deep, bracing breath has him overbalancing and he falls into Merlin and feels warmth under his palms as they land on hip and back – Merlin's hip and back... and now Arthur's flushing – and Merlin is squealing and half-screaming and spinning and blushing furiously but he's laughing too and next second he's holding a hand to his chest as though to rip his heart out and hand it to the victor but Arthur can't spare even a triumphant grin as his own heart is threatening to join Merlin's, trying to make it's exit through Arthur's throat. Merlin's laughing now, eyes wide and sparking and the blush looks like something new and different and Arthur's afraid he got a little lost there for a minute until Merlin, still grinning, laughs out, "You really got me then!"

And all of the smugness Arthur forgot about is back – and that has nothing to do with the warmth still tingling away at the skin of his palms, burning his fingers, freezing his fingertips, setting nerves on fire and no, nothing at all to do with any of that – and he is grinning himself, all triumph and victory and his voice filled with pride and he isn't even sure what he means anymore when he says, "Good, I meant to do that."

* * *

Short but (hopefully) sweet :)

Hope you liked it, and have a great Christmas people :)


End file.
